Minorities face higher cancer rates

Published 8:00 pm, Friday, April 18, 2008

It is often said that cancer does not discriminate, but this might not be entirely true.

There are several disparities in cancer incidence and mortality rates among racial and ethnic minorities. For example, African- Americans are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage of cancer than whites. They are also less likely to survive five years after diagnosis compared to whites for most cancers at all stages of diagnosis.

These and other disparities are the focus of National Minority Cancer Awareness Week, which runs Sunday through April 26.

"The disparity is a big issue, and it's one that needs to be addressed on statewide policy level as well as a localized health care and outreach level," said Bryte Johnson, director of government relations and advocacy for the American Cancer Society.

As one way to address the disparities, the American Cancer Society is hoping to create a cancer disparities center.

"As part of the comprehensive cancer plan, we've been lobbying hard for the funds for a disparities initiative, so that maybe next year, when funds are available, we can open the center," Johnson said.

Johnson said the center will cost less than $1 million to create.

"It will possess the necessary infrastructure to address cancer control initiatives, address these disparities, educate people on the issue and really try to figure out why African-Americans have a higher rate of breast cancer," Johnson said.

There are some theories on why minorities are a higher risk for developing certain cancers and why their survival rates are less than their Caucasian counterparts. Some of these theories include barriers in language, socioeconomic disparities in work, income, education, housing conditions and overall standards of living.

Officials believe all of these contribute to the problem.

"If there is less access to care with minorities, then they have fewer opportunities to be screened earlier, and so the later a cancer is found, the more advanced it is and the worse the outcome is for the patient," said Julia Hobbie-Low, community executive of the cancer resource network for the American Cancer Society.

Screenings are important to the diagnosis of cancers such as cervical, breast and colon. Lower access to and/or utilization of cancer screenings and late state diagnoses of the disease contribute to higher incidence and mortality rates of some cancers among certain minority groups.

"We advocate for programs like breast and cervical cancer grant programs that provide free or low-cost mammograms and cervical cancer screenings for uninsured women or those (whose) deductibles are too high to afford the screenings," Hobbie-Low said. "We also have our 1-800 number to direct patients to the types of screenings they should have. If people aren't aware, they should be screened they are putting themselves at risk."